President Lee's Approval Rating Drops 7 Points Amid Election Commission Concerns

President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating has seen a notable decline, falling below 60% for the first time in four months. A recent poll conducted by Gallup Korea from June 9-11 revealed that 57% of respondents approve of President Lee's job performance, a decrease of 7 percentage points from the previous survey conducted three weeks prior.

Conversely, the percentage of respondents who disapprove of his performance rose to 35%, an increase of 7 percentage points. The primary reason cited for the negative evaluation was "election commission issues," specifically referencing problems related to the recent local elections, which garnered 16% of the negative responses. Other significant factors contributing to disapproval included economic concerns and high exchange rates (14%) and real estate policy (9%).

During the previous poll three weeks ago, President Lee's approval rating stood at 64% with a disapproval rating of 28%. The current shift indicates a significant change in public sentiment. Reasons for positive evaluation included the economy and public welfare (21%), foreign policy (12%), and general performance (9%).

In terms of party support, the Democratic Party saw its backing decrease to 41% from 45% three weeks ago. In contrast, the People Power Party experienced a substantial gain, rising 7 percentage points to 28% from 22%. The proportion of undecided voters remained at 21%. The poll highlights a narrowing gap between the two major parties, decreasing from 30 percentage points in early April to 12 percentage points in the latest survey.

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The president's job approval rating has fallen below 60% for the first time in four months. The election commission issue was the most cited reason for job disapproval, reflecting the impact of the ballot paper shortage incident.